Lolly Daskal's Blog, page 95

June 10, 2018

10 Dumb Rules That Make Your Best People Quit

It’s hard enough to attract and hold on to good employees–but to attract and hold on to the best employees is even harder.

Occasionally they leave because of an opportunity they can’t pass up, but most of the time the cause lies with the company they’re leaving.

Too many workplaces create rule-driven cultures that may keep management feeling like things are under control, but they squelch creativity and reinforce the ordinary.

The more rules, the less passion–which means less motivation.

The more rules, the less excitement–which means less powerful performance.

The more rules, the less enthusiasm–which means lower profits.

Faced with a rule-driven culture, the best employees–the most talented and hard working–are usually the first to go, because they’re in high demand and have more opportunity than most.

What’s left is a pool of people who are mediocre at what they do, willing to compromise their standards, and in it mostly for the paycheck.

And if you have mediocre people doing mediocre work, you are going to have a mediocre company.

Here’s a simple principle for hiring and keeping the best and most talented people:

Stop creating dumb rules.

How do you know if a rule is dumb?

Ask yourself who needs it. If it’s directed primarily at the people you wish you hadn’t hired, it’s probably a dumb rule.

Here are some prime examples:

1. Dumb rules for hiring. Imagine you’re a potentially great employee applying for a job with your organization. You polish your résumé and write a compelling cover letter. And then you enter the black hole–the space between applying for a job and being hired (or getting an impersonal notification that the job’s been filled). It’s not just dumb–it’s inhumane. Isn’t there a way to create hiring processes with a human touch? Isn’t it possible to find the right person on the basis of their words and presentation and a sense of who they are instead of relying on keyword search? Humanize the process and you’ll get better and more talented people.

2. Dumb rules for performance reviews and rankings. Let’s be honest: Performance reviews are a waste of time. Brilliant and talented people deserve better than being slotted into some bureaucratic five-point scale once a year. It doesn’t provide valuable feedback–it’s just a ritual that’s dreaded by everyone involved. Forced ranking, sometimes called stack ranking, is even worse. Lining up your employees and comparing them with one another, best to worst, is one of the stupidest ideas I have ever encountered as a coach and business consultant. Why would anyone want to stay at a company that treats people this way? How hard it must be to trust your colleagues when you’re essentially in an organizational version of the Hunger Games. Does any meaningful information come out of such a process? Gifted and talented people should be supported in their strength and uniqueness, not compared with others or measured against arbitrary standards.

If you don’t trust the people you hired, why did you hire them? (And if you don’t trust your managers to hire good people, why did you make them managers?) Get rid of annual reviews and rankings, and allow people to be brilliant and motivated and creative. Encourage them to set goals and maintain high standards, and support them in doing so. Trust them to produce, and if they are not producing let them go.

3. Dumb rules for onsite attendance. In many positions, smart people don’t need policies to force them into showing up at the office. People know what work they have to do that day and where best to do it. One week, they may know they have something truly valuable to contribute or learn in a group setting at the office, but the next week, they may see that their time is better spent meeting a deadline from home with availability by message or phone. Those who consistently fail to show up and contribute are likely not meeting other standards as well.

4. Dumb rules for approvals. Ask yourself how productive you’d be in your personal life if you had to get someone else to approve all your purchases and decisions. You’d never get anything done! Do you really want your best workers to spend their time chasing people for rubber-stamp approvals? If you’re talking about a big project or new procedure, approvals are appropriate, but to require them on everything is ludicrous. It slows down work, wastes money, and tells people you don’t trust their judgment.

5. Dumb rules for time off. If a dedicated employee doesn’t feel good enough to come to work, what’s the point in making them drag themselves out of bed to get a doctor’s slip? Just let people know that when they’re sick, they’re expected to stay home and rest until they’re well enough (and noncontagious enough) to return to work. For a serious illness, maybe a transition time of half days is appropriate. Similarly, if people want to take a personal day, don’t make them lie about it. Treat the great people you hired with respect. Trust that they know how to honor their time and work hard delivering on their promises, and encourage them to take a down day if they need it for whatever reason, no questions asked. Requiring documentation is another case of sending a message that you don’t trust the people you’ve hired.

6. Dumb rules for frequent flyer miles. Work travel isn’t easy–leaving your life behind and living out of a hotel room in a place where you may not know even a soul can be true drudgery. And with airport check-in lines that stretch out for hours, TSA impositions, and constantly canceled flights, it can seriously feel like years are being shaved off your life. That’s why frequent flyer miles should belong to the person who earned them, not the company. It’s a no-cost way for you to reward the person’s sacrifice. Rules stating otherwise are not only stupid but grossly unfair.

7. Dumb feedback methods. I have worked with companies that put complete faith in employee engagement surveys, but frankly I believe they’re a sham. If you want to know how things are, just walk around and ask people face-to-face. Speak to them, hold a conversation, engage. A quick online survey will give you shallow responses. The best way to learn what’s happening is to have honest, candid conversations about what is working and what is not. If that’s impossible, you have a big problem with connection and communication–the two most important things that drive engagement. Look to the source and speak to the heart of your people. They don’t need to speak through fancy surveys; they can get to the heart of the matter on their own if you give them a chance.

8. Dumb rules for cell phones. Making people check their phones on the way in so they can’t be used for confidential documents or information shows only–again–a lack of trust. The main reason for having a phone is so you can be easily contacted. Why not trust your smart people to make smart choices?

9. Dumb rules for internet use. These are among the stupidest rules of all. In offices that have such policies, the rule is broken by everyone, including the person who created it. It’s one thing to ask people to limit their time or to put reasonable restrictions on what kind of sites they can visit, but to forbid access to information is just plain dumb.

10. Dumb probationary rules. Many organizations still have the throwback rule that employees have to be in a position for six months before they can transfer or be promoted. This might have worked in the past–even Baby Boomers who weren’t happy with their jobs went along with the rules–but these days the work force is different. If someone wants to get around the six-month rule, they will simply defy it–or quit.

If you came up in an organizational culture governed by rules, especially dumb rules, you have to ask yourself if you belong there.

N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R

THE LEADERSHIP GAP
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.

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Additional Reading you might enjoy:

12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
How to Succeed as A New Leader
12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
The Deception Trap of Leadership

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Published on June 10, 2018 18:21

20 Things You Need to Know About Sleep

Sleep makes us feel better. We feel more alert, more energetic, happier, and better able to function following a good night of sleep.

But the fact that sleep makes us feel better and that going without sleep makes us feel worse only begins to explain why sleep is so important.

Too often, we treat sleep as optional, something you don’t really need if you can make yourself tough enough to go without it.

Some people even brag about how little sleep they need at night, as if it’s a test of strength.

But sleep plays a vital role in all kinds of physical and mental processes–everything from memory to weight control.

Here are some important facts about sleep that you need to know–especially if you’ve been depriving yourself:

1. Remember more: We retain information and perform better on memory tasks after sleeping.

2. Restore. rejuvenate and repair. It is during long periods of sleep that our bodies restore and rejuvenate, growing muscle, repairing tissue and synthesizing hormones.

3. Catnapping and naps. It’s possible to go from spacing out into a brief cat nap even with your eyes open.

4. There is no catching up. That thing where you try to catch up by sleeping late on the weekends doesn’t work. Sleep deprivation can be overcome only with several consecutive nights of sufficient sleep.

5. The dilemma of snoring. If you snore, you may suffer from sleep apnea, a serious breathing disorder. Talk to your doctor about a sleep study.

6. Sleep requirement. We require more sleep during critical periods of growth and learning. Both teens and small children need about 10 hours a night.

7. Deprived sleep. Feeling tired can quickly seem normal. People deprived of sleep in a study noticed they weren’t at their best . After a few days, though, this awareness wore off (although the effects remained)

8. Shut down ALL lights. The light from electronic screens interferes with sleep cycles by affecting the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. If you have trouble sleeping, it’s recommended that you shut off all screens at least an hour ahead of your bedtime.

9. The loss of an hour. The one-hour shift in sleep patterns associated with daylight saving time is associated with an increase in accidents.

10. Missed sleep. Most parents miss out on 400 to 750 hours of sleep in a baby’s first year.

11. Dream on. Dreams were once thought to occur only during REM sleep, but they sometimes also occur in non-REM phases.

12. Maturity and brain function. Premature babies have 75 percent REM sleep, 10 percent more than full-term babies. It’s thought that REM sleep may help their maturing brains.

13. Drunk and sleep. Going 17 hours without sleep impairs you to the same level as a blood alcohol-level of .05 percent, not far removed from the legal driving limit of 0.08.

14. Accidents and causes. Australian motorists’ association NRMA estimates that fatigue is involved in one in six fatal traffic accidents.

15. Our inner alarm. The “natural alarm clock” that allow some people to wake themselves up at will is caused by a burst of the stress hormone adrenocorticotropin. It’s thought to be an unconscious anticipation of the stress of waking up.

16. Obesity and fat. Failing to get enough sleep can interfere with eating habits and insulin production, making it a contributing factor in obesity and high blood glucose.

17. Disruption of sleep. It takes only a small amount of light–even the light from a digital alarm clock–to disrupt the sleep cycle.

18. Heat and sleep. Body temperature and the brain’s sleep-wake cycle are closely linked, which is why it’s hard to fall asleep in a hot room.

19. Added punch. Sleep deprivation makes the effect of alcohol more powerful .

20. Treat nightmares. Techniques of lucid dreaming–in which the sleeper is aware that they’re dreaming and can even control the action of the dream–have been used to treat nightmares.

N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R

THE LEADERSHIP GAP
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

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Additional Reading you might enjoy:

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Published on June 10, 2018 18:19

Why You Need to Stop Comparing Yourself With Others

If you struggle with issues of self-esteem and insecurity, the worst possible thing you can do to yourself is to compare yourself to someone else.

In truth, those comparisons are a big part of the reason why so many of us struggle with insecurity.

What messes with our confidence most is the picture in our head of how we are supposed to be.

But we forget, we are not anyone else, we are who we are, and if we want to succeed, we will have to succeed as ourselves.

Here are 10 ways to get yourself back on the right path:

1. Accept that you have choices. When you compare yourself to others, you fail to accept or acknowledge the choices you truly have. If you can concentrate on those choices, on the other hand, you can find the alternative that works best for you. Keep the focus on your own situation, your strengths, your own goals, and you’ll never stray far from the right path.

2. Keep working toward your goals. Instead of comparing yourself to anyone else, measure where you are now compared to a month or a quarter or a year ago and appreciate the progress you are making. And if you see instead that you’re not progressing toward your goals, it’s most likely because those goals are not clearly defined. It’s not because of anything wrong or inferior with you, and it certainly doesn’t have anything to do with anyone else. Measure your own progress and hold yourself accountable for that–and no more.

3. Recognize your limitations. When you compare yourself to others, the worst thing you can do is bank on your limitations. People often concentrate on what they’re not good at and they spend their time wishing they could be better. Instead, recognize your limitations, but don’t allow them to limit you. Understand them and then defy them. Sometimes the best way to excel is to set your own rules.

4. Embrace your uniqueness. Comparisons don’t leave room for the things that make you unique. What are your gifts? What makes you different? The purpose of your life is to find your voice and make your own mark on the world. Your gifts and talents and successes and contributions and value are entirely unique to you and your purpose in this world. That’s why you can never truly be compared to anyone else.

5. Learn from those with experience. If you become triggered by the realization of how much you don’t know, the solution is simple. Learn from those who do know so you can do better. Don’t hold yourself up to anyone else’s success, but let it inspire you to do better.

6. Guard your precious time. We each get 86,400 seconds each day. And using even one of those seconds to compare yourself or your accomplishments to another is a true waste of your precious time.

7. Celebrate your successes. Celebrate the things you’ve accomplished, and then raise the bar a little bit higher. Do this each time you succeed, and you’ll be too busy to compare yourself to anyone.

8. Focus on what you can change: yourself. So much of what goes on is out of our control, but there is one thing that we know for sure: the constant need to compare ourselves to others wastes our energy by focusing or attention on other peoples’ lives rather than our own.

9. Comparisons breed resentment. The more you compare yourself to others, the more resentment you’re likely to feel–and it’s all the more painful because it’s a self-inflicted wound.

10. Give to others what you most desire for yourself. If you want your work to be valued, value the work of other. If you want succeed, help others succeed. What goes around comes around.

If you are looking to succeed, the only person you must compare yourself to – is YOU

Compare yourself to your goals.

Compare yourself to your values.

Compare yourself to where you were.

Just leave other people out of the comparisons and you’ll do fine, because success and happiness begins the moment you stop looking over your shoulder and you begin to focus on yourself.

N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R

THE LEADERSHIP GAP
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

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Additional Reading you might enjoy:

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Published on June 10, 2018 17:33

June 9, 2018

100 Ways You Can Express Love as a Leader

Many people believe that love doesn’t belong in business or leadership.

But I have found that when leaders love their people, their people love them back. They remain loyal, they respect each other, they trust each other.

It is the kindness you show and the appreciation you express that lets people know you value them.

Each time you say I love you, you are letting people know you care.

Take the time today to tell someone “I appreciate you” and express your love to them.

Not sure how?

Here are 100 possibilities:

1. I appreciate you.

2. You’re a necessary piece to this puzzle.

3. You are one of the reasons for our success.

4. If I tried to tell you how much I appreciate you, I’d be talking for the rest of my life.

5. You’re the heart and soul of this team.

6. I respect you.

7. It’s your careful attention to detail that makes you so special.

8. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your commitment.

9. No words can express, no act of gratitude can relay, no gift can represent what your love and support have meant to me.

10. Sincerest thanks for all your dedication and hard work.

11. I appreciate your dedicated commitment.

12. Is there anything I can do to help?

13. Someday I hope to give to you a fraction of all you’ve given me.

14. I admire your honesty

15. Thank you for being such a dedicated and valuable employee.

16. I value your wisdom.

17. I am a better person because of you.

18. I am thankful for you.

19. I am indebted to you.

20. Your service exceeded all expectations.

21. You can count on me.

22. I sincerely appreciate all your hard work and dedication.

23. I can’t imagine working without you.

24. You have taught me so much.

25. I trust you.

26. We’re better because of you. Thanks for all you do.

27. You are not only a valued member of this group, you’re a dear friend.

28. You are a blessing.

29. You bring joy into my life.

30. I will never forget that you….

31. You are absolutely amazing.

32. Whatever the task, you always find a way to get it done.

33. You set the course for the rest of us. I appreciate you.

34. You inspire me.

35. Thanks for all your extra effort.

36. Your attention to detail puts you at the top.

37. You have been extremely helpful.

38. You are incredible.

39. Words can’t describe how much you are appreciated.

40. You simply amaze me.

41. Your personal commitment to quality is obvious in everything you do.

42. You are very important to us.

43. You give me courage.

44. You are a generous spirit.

45. You have a winner’s attitude.

46. Your commitment to excellence has inspired others.

47. The insights you share are extremely helpful.

48. I have faith in you.

49. I’m sending you this article because I though you would appreciate it.

50. You’re a wonderful person.

51. I appreciate all your gifts.

52. You are one of a kind.

53. We’ll figure it out together.

54. What do you think?

55. I’ll take care of it.

56. We make a good team.

57. You’ve got what we need.

58. You mean so much to me.

59. You are priceless.

60. I feel comfortable taking risks when you are around.

61. I am committed to your success.

62. I believe in you fully.

63. Your positivity is contagious.

64. You make this place better.

65. You are one of a kind.

66. You are a great asset.

67. If anyone deserves thanks, it’s you.

68. You contribute in so many meaningful ways.

69. I have had fun learning from you.

70. I wholeheartedly appreciate everything you have done.

71. You did a difficult job really well.

72. I enjoy your sense of humor.

73. Mistakes happen–we all learn from them.

74. I appreciate you immensely.

75. If the world had more people like you it would be a better place. You do make a difference.

76. Your support means so much to me.

77. You’re very thoughtful.

78. Your whatever-it-takes attitude has made all the difference in this effort.

79. What I most admire in you is …

80. You make me want to be better.

81. I care deeply about you.

82. I am grateful for your generosity.

83. I want to acknowledge your extra effort.

84. You did an excellent job.

85. Your hard work and dedication mean the world to me.

86. You are one in a million.

87. Thank you for having my back.

88. You made a difference.

89. You’re doing great–don’t give up.

90. Your thoughtfulness will always be remembered.

91. You are a vital element here.

92. I want to let you know the things you do for (me, the company, our group) do not go unnoticed.

93. You bring out the best in me.

94. I really appreciated your help.

95. The difference you make is nothing short of legendary.

96. I appreciate your dedication and service, and I know others do too.

97. You are one of the most amazing gifts I have ever received.

98. Please accept my heartfelt appreciation for everything you do.

99. Please know I appreciate who you are.

100. Thank you.

N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R

THE LEADERSHIP GAP
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

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Additional Reading you might enjoy:

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Published on June 09, 2018 21:18

6 Mantras That Will Set You Apart as a Genuine Leader

At the beginning of an enterprise, you may be looking to others to set an example you can follow–which is normal human behavior in any new situation. And there will be a lot you can learn from those who have come before you.

But none of them has ever been in your exact situation, and none of them brings your unique combination of skills, experience, ideas, and values.

Your real value as a leader will come when you begin to build on those traits and define the things that will set you apart from the rest.

Here are some thoughts to help launch you toward your own leadership league:

1. If you are your authentic self, you have no competition. If you are to be truly successful, your leadership must be grounded in self-awareness and authenticity. That means knowing and working with your strengths and your limits. When you lead from authenticity, you free yourself from the need for external approval–you can be who you are, not what others want to see.

2. Greatness is not where you stand, but in what direction you are moving. Strategic planning–the process of translating vision into realistic business strategies–provides you with a structure to balance long-term goals with immediate needs, update plans to reflect changing circumstances, and develop contingency plans for the wider range of possibilities. Your strategic plan is worthless unless you have a strategic vision. The two go hand in hand: Each is useless without the other.

3. If you focus on results, you will never change; if you focus on change, you will get results. From the very beginning, organizations need the capacity to grow and adapt. A positive view of change and the flexibility to adapt gives you the ability to weather what comes–and maybe even to influence it. As we know, change is inevitable, but turning it into progress requires preparation.

4. You don’t build a business; you build relationships. Unless you are a one-person shop, you will be working with others. Those relationships form the core of your enterprise, and for them to be successful you need to be prepared to coach, guide, encourage, and reward those who are working with you–not just in their work but in their own growth and development.

5. Leadership is not wielding authority; it’s empowering others. The best leaders keep their staff motivated and connected to the central mission. They delegate to employees effectively, provide opportunity, and act with fairness to create a culture of empowerment.

6. Commitment is what transforms words into reality. Your commitment to the purpose of your enterprise, as you express it and transmit it to those around you, is what leads to the creation of something new, something of value, in the world. It’s not an easy goal, but it’s definitely one worth working toward.

N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R

THE LEADERSHIP GAP
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

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Additional Reading you might enjoy:

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Published on June 09, 2018 21:13

30 Crucial Skills You Need to Be an Amazing Speaker

It’s the business skill people dread the most–but once you get over the initial jitters, being a good public speaker really isn’t that hard.

Like most skills, you can become competent, if not great, if you’re willing to put in the time for practice and planning.

Here are 30 essential skills you must have to be an amazing speaker:

1. Know your audience. Unless you already know them well, you should plan to spend time researching and understanding your audience as well as your topic.

2. Pick your topic carefully. If you’re in a situation in which you have the freedom to choose your topic, make sure to consider its timeliness and relevance along with your level of knowledge and the audience’s likely interest.

3. Practice makes perfect. Even in an informal setting, you want to sound polished, with everything flowing naturally. That means lots of practice. Great speakers rehearse, and they do it many, many times.

4. Stay focused. Stick to the points you’ve planned to make, and don’t let things wander off course.

5. Treat it as a journey. Set the context, prepare the audience, and then lead them where you want them to go.

6. Catch their attention. Open the speech with something striking and catchy. It’s a good time for humor. Make eye contact, and let the audience know you see them from the start.

7. Empower and energize. Your audience will follow your cue, so be passionate and energetic and empowering. If you don’t feel empowered by what you’re saying, you can’t expect your audience to be excited.

8. Be respectful. Treat your audience with respect. Don’t talk down to them or become hostile, but be respectful in all you do and say.

9. Tell a story. A good presenter is a great storyteller. Your audience doesn’t want to be lectured; they want to be moved. Tell the story in such a way that people feel like they are living it.

10. Avoid acting. Speaking isn’t acting! You are not there to play a role but to speak and be yourself. Artificiality creates distance between you and your audience.

11. Be (appropriately) funny. A sense of humor and the timing to deliver a funny line go far in making you a great speaker. Just be careful to think your jokes through, rehearse your delivery, and not overuse them.

12. Tune in. Modulate your voice: Change up the tone, loudness, and pace to keep your audience engaged.

13. Pay attention to your body language. You can reinforce your points and connect with the audience with your posture and gestures.

14. Don’t forget to breathe. Pause before and after important ideas. Don’t be afraid of the silence, which will feel much longer to you than to the audience. A pause gives people time to fully take in what you’re saying.

15. Make eye contact. Don’t stare, but look around the room and scan people in the audience, making brief eye contact with people in all areas of the space.

16. Use visuals wisely. Use images that support your message, but don’t let them become the whole story. Never read a slide to the audience.

17. Show confidence and poise. Even if you’re faking it, keep your voice confident and poised, neither nervous nor arrogant.

18. Convey character. Let your sincerity, conviction, and enthusiasm shine through.

19. Be your genuine self. Don’t try to copy someone else or create a better version of yourself. Be the same person you are away from the podium.

20. Don’t brag. It’s fine to highlight your expertise or offer stories to connect with the audience, but humility will give you much more authority than bragging.

21. Talk from the heart. Speak to your audience as if they were your friends. Be sincere, authentic, positive.

22. Show vulnerability. Allow yourself to be human. When people can see that you’re subject to mistakes and missteps, they’ll connect with you more deeply.

23. Don’t talk down. Keep your style conversational; speak to your audience, not at them.

24. Sound powerful. Use short, simple sentences. Don’t rush, but speak slowly and clearly.

25. Leave them wanting more. Stop well before people start fidgeting and looking at their watches.

26. Close strong. Close the speech with a striking, impressive remark. Remember that a great beginning and ending are the most important elements.

27. Be accessible. Be available after you speak so people can share what is on their mind, and they’ll take you and your ideas more seriously.

28. Be memorable. Being an average speaker–or even a good one–won’t get you the notice you deserve. Be memorable. Do everything you can for what you say to live on in the hearts and minds of those who hear you.

29. Seek feedback. Get candid feedback from as many people as you can, both in rehearsal and after the talk itself. Then you can build on what you do well and work on your weak points.

30. Listen and learn. Pay attention to other speakers–at conferences and events, on political shows, and within your community.

N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R

THE LEADERSHIP GAP
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

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Additional Reading you might enjoy:

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Published on June 09, 2018 21:00

13 Bad Habits That Complicate Your Work and Life

Business, leadership, and life come with complexity and complications.

But sometimes we make some things more complicated than they need to be.

The more we can simplify our complications, the better we can focus and the more effective we can be.

Here are some of the ways you may be needlessly complicating your work and your life.

1. You run from tough situations. Among the hardest decisions you will ever face is choosing between walking away and trying harder. Keep it simple by tackling what is hard with a tough stand, a tough mind, and a tender heart.

2. You compromise your principles and values. Who you are, what you stand for, is reflected in what you do. Keep it simple by staying true to your convictions, because strong convictions precede great action.

3. You base decisions on bad or incomplete information. We often fail to realize how important decisions are until we make the wrong ones. Bad decisions can complicate your life and determine your future. Keep it simple by being smart and staying informed.

4. You try to control things. The worst thing you can do when things become complicated is to try and control everything. Keep it simple by knowing you may not be able to always control what goes on outside, but you can always control what goes on within yourself.

5. You overpromise and underdeliver. Overpromising and underdelivering disappoint; underpromising and overdelivering gain admiration. It’s that simple.

6. You hold on longer than you need to. Knowing when to let go is never easy. Keep it simple by remembering that the simple act of letting go is far greater power than holding on.

7. You worry too much. Worry is one of the most common and destructive daily habits that can complicate your life. Worry won’t stop the bad stuff from happening, and it just keeps you from enjoying the good. Keep it simple by choosing joy over worry.

8. You compare yourself with others. We all do it sometimes, but too often it means comparing our own messy reality with someone else’s carefully presented image. Keep it simple and focus on improving yourself without involving anyone else.

9. You lose focus. It’s focus that allows us to concentrate on what we want to achieve. The power of focus allows us to simply do what we need to do for ourselves, for our team, for our organization. Keep it simple and allow everything else to fall away.

10. You wait for perfect. Perfectionism stalls progress and sometimes paralyzes effort entirely. Keep it simple and maintain high standards while recognizing that we live in an imperfect world.

11. You react with negativity. A negative outlook holds us captive and colors everything we say and do. Keep it simple and look for the positive.

12. You seek validation. The approval of others is like a dangerous drug–gratifying at first but not worth the long-term damage. Keep it simple by carving your own path and taking the risks that will bring your goals within reach.

13. You think the world owes you something.

A sense of entitlement never brought anything good into the world. Keep it simple by remembering what you owe to those around you.

Complications beckon us at every turn. Part of our job as leaders is to model the restraint it takes to turn away from them and stay true–to ourselves, to our values, and to our purpose. With that kind of simplicity, you can’t go wrong.

N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R

THE LEADERSHIP GAP
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

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Published on June 09, 2018 20:56

7 Smart Habits of Leaders Who Always Get Successful Results

The most successful leaders have learned the mastery of anticipating business patterns, and finding opportunities in pressured situations, serving the people they lead and still having wildly successful results.

If you are wondering how they do it, here are seven things you must do automatically if you are looking to get results.

1. Action expresses priority.

When you know what’s important to you, you know how to take action. Say no to distractions and busywork, and yes to things that keep you focused and help you grow.

2. Differentiate yourself from the rest of the crowd.

You likely know your strengths already–but if not, start assessing them now. They will differentiate you from the rest of the pack, allowing you to create a clear direction and move forward to produce results.

3. It is the most tenacious that never give up.

Perseverance is part of every great success story. As Steve Jobs said, “I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.” If something isn’t going well, keep at it.

4. Decide. Commit. Succeed.

If something is going to get done, it is ultimately up to you. Even the things you delegate can be handled in a way that hands along a commitment and not just the task. The little choices you make every day lead to the final results you are working toward.

5. Never stop learning because life never stops teaching.

Whether you’re failing or succeeding, there are lessons all around you–if you pay attention and keep your mind open. The best leaders I have gotten to know aren’t just the boldest thinkers; they are the most insatiable learners.

6. There is no substitute for clear and decisive direction.

Decisiveness is often the art of timely action. Waffling and second-guessing do nothing but waste time. By all means, plan, analyze, and be thoughtful and intentional about what you do–but when the moment comes to make a decision, make it firmly. Don’t look back or second-guess yourself.

7. You matter.

The most successful leaders know if they will ever hope to be effective leaders of others, they will need to first be able to take care of themselves. Getting results isn’t always about working hard on your current enterprise. It’s just as important that you take care of yourself.

As with any successful venture, the best way to begin is to focus on the fundamentals. Start today to incorporate these key principles into your enterprise–and your life–and see what results you get.

N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R

THE LEADERSHIP GAP
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

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Published on June 09, 2018 20:41

6 Social Media Skills Every Leader Must Learn

Virtually all leaders and companies have a social medial presence today. But what social skills do you have as a leader? What skills do you need?

Social media provides a great platform to connect leaders and their teams (especially if they’re working in remote locations), prospective customers, and other stakeholders. If you’re adept enough to respond quickly, correctly, in public and in real time, you’re in great shape.

Becoming fluent in the technical side and conventions of social media is part of the picture, but where many people fall short is in the foundations.

Here are six skills every leader needs to be prepared for social media:

1. Presentation. You must be able to present your ideas with compelling content and try to be informative and share useful tips. Every opportunity you have to share your content; increases your visibility is valuable. Most leaders, should think of social media networks as the channel for their leadership presentation.

2. Communication. Focus on conversations that are meaningful to business. Forget what you know about traditional communication and use social media to focus on getting to know your customers, team and clients. Develop a genuine voice, not one that sounds like it’s coming from the PR office.

3. Feedback. Be ready to hear what people have to say–the good and the bad. Be open to conversation and dialogue, and be responsive to concerns and complaints. We all need people who can give us feedback, that’s how we improve.

4. Committed. Be ready to commit to giving without immediate results, creating connections and giving people a favorable impression of your brand. A strategic and open social media plan can move people from being interested to being a customer, and from being a customer to being a loyal fan.

5. Analysis. Choose your social channels channels wisely–think in terms of effectiveness and ROI. Remember the value of leveraging your social media is key for your business functions.

6. Community. Take the time to build community and get to know your people. The result? A long-lasting relationship on two levels: social media and “real life.”

Every leader needs to be an influencer, but they need to focus on unique content that comes from the heart; this is the key to becoming a true influencer–not just on social media but in every setting and context.

N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R

THE LEADERSHIP GAP
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

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Published on June 09, 2018 20:31

11 Ways to Strengthen the Relationships That Will Lead You to Success

Our leadership may come from within, but its foundation lies in relationships.

Every successful leader knows that relationships are the lifeblood of success.

For a business to take off, for a venture to proceed, for an initiative to take strength takes partnership, support, friendship, collegiality.

The most significant things we achieve are generally done in relationship with others.

Here are 11 ways to bring the right significance to the relationships you are working to build or maintain:

1. Make time. Cultivating deeper, stronger relationships takes time and effort. That means setting time aside to spend with those who are important to you. It means discovering their strengths and gifts and perspectives and accepting their imperfections. Think of relationships as investments that become more valuable over time.

2. Call people by name. As Dale Carnegie used to say, a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language. If you want to cultivate deeper, stronger relationships, you must remember people’s names correctly. No matter how bad your memory is, it’s possible to train yourself. And people will assume they’re important to you if you just remember them by name.

3. Start the conversation. Don’t wait for someone else to speak first, and don’t sit with your face buried in your phone. The best way to learn about others is by striking up a conversation. Ask genuine questions and then focus in and listen on the answers.

4. Be respectful and empathetic when you have to tell bad news. Keep your communications respectful and appropriate if you have to deliver bad news. Be direct but tactful, and communicate face-to-face in a private setting.

5. Appreciate the value of diversity. Your leadership and your entire organization will be strengthened if you can open up to and truly accept people with different backgrounds, viewpoints, and beliefs. The more perspectives you have access to, the better your ability to do excellent work–no matter what you do.

6. Look for and build on other people’s strengths. Everyone has something to contribute–and the better you know the people around you, the better you can leverage their strengths by delegating the right task to the right person. Give people assignments that let them excel and grow.

7. Share the credit. As the old saying goes, there is no limit to the good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit. Acknowledge those who assisted and those who collaborated, because the more credit you give away, the more will come back to you. The more you shine the light on others, the brighter everything looks.

8. Lift others up. Everyone rises when you build a culture where people lift each other up. When you see someone having a tough go of it, be quick to offer words of encouragement and look for ways to help. When someone messes up, don’t put them down (or allow anyone else to) but help them make things right and learn from the experience.

9. Ban gossip. It’s human nature to talk about others, but as the leader, you need to set the example. There is no value in gossip. Refuse to take part, and make your disapproval clear.

10. Own your errors. Since everybody makes mistakes from time to time, you can empower those around you by letting them see how you respond when you get it wrong. Set an example by holding yourself accountable, fixing what can be fixed, and moving on.

11. Build trust. The one ingredient that’s crucial to any relationship is trust. Trust is built on integrity, consistency, confidence, and concern. When people are treated with honesty, kindness, faithfulness, and gentleness–when they are in an environment of trust–they respond in kind. There’s no greater force you can create within an organization than a team with high levels of commitment and trust.

At the end of the day, there is no relationship without communication; no leadership without respect; no team without trust; no venture without value; no business without respect. Make sure you keep what is important up close and personal.

N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R

THE LEADERSHIP GAP
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

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